Universal's attempt to go after Big Lumber . . .

. . . falls flat in AFTER THE BALL. Prior to this film, most sports equipment--from baseball bats to hockey sticks to bowling balls--was made from wood. AFTER THE BALL persuaded the bleeding hearts in states such as Alaska, Idaho and Montana to outlaw wooden bats, bowling balls and other such sporting equipment, because they feared cutting trees might inconvenience a few birds. Soon Big Aluminum won the baseball bat business, while Big Oil prevailed in bowling. Canada held firm in dedicating their forests to hockey sticks--dodo birds or no dodo birds. However, there are far fewer skaters than ball players or bowlers, so during the past 70 years or so Canadian forests have fallen into disrepair, becoming wildly overgrown. Now most of these excess trees are burning out-of-control, since their are so many more trees than Canadians. With America's big cities reduced to Third World air quality status, you can blame this on AFTER THE BALL.

Animation is a form of visual storytelling that involves creating visual art and motion through the use of various techniques and technologies. In animation, images are manipulated to create the illusion of movement, bringing characters, objects, and environments to life. Animation can encompass a wide range of styles, themes, and intended audiences, making it a diverse and versatile form of storytelling.

Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)

The comedy genre refers to a category of entertainment that aims to amuse and entertain audiences by using humor, wit, and comedic situations. Comedies are created with the primary intention of eliciting laughter and providing lighthearted enjoyment. They encompass a wide range of styles, tones, and themes, appealing to various tastes and audiences.

Will Ferrell, Angela Grillo, and Lap-Gei Cheung in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)

The family genre features stories specifically created to be suitable for a wide range of age groups within a family. Family-oriented content is designed to be enjoyed by both children and adults, often providing entertainment that is wholesome, relatable, and appropriate for all members of a family to watch or experience together.

Drew Barrymore and Pat Welsh in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

Pierre Bear runs a bowling ball factory in the great North. Pierre mistakenly chops down Woody's tree-house and converts it into a bowling ball. Despite this, Woody decides to still reside in it, and goes about trying to outwit the bear. Pierre uses a water hose, air pump, deep freeze and even hocus-pocus to evict the tree's tenant, but all he gets are knotted bowler's fingers.

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After the Ball

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